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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · bound · season · spell · branch · pit · craft · toast

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. season — in sport
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spell — letters
  7. band — a ring
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. spell — magic
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. season — of the year
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — boats
  20. toast — bread
  21. band — a music group
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com